Cribbage-board



C. W. LE COUNT.

(Nn Model.)

CRIBBAGE BOARD.

N0. 321,509. Patented July 7, 1885.

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Nrrnn STATES CHARLES NV. LE COUNT, OF SOUTH NORVALK, CONNECTICUT.

CRlBBAGE-BOARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 321,509, dated July 7, 1885.

Application nieu January 29, 1885. (No mom.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern,.-

Beit known that I, CHARLES W. LE COUNT, a citizen of th'eUnited States,residing at South Norwalk, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cribbage-Boards; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to cribbagc-boards of the class illustrated and described in my former patent, No. 219,280, granted September 2` 187 9, and has for its general object to simplify and improve their construction. Vith this end in view I have devised the novel construction which I will now describe, referring by letters to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specication, in which- Figure l is a plan view illustrating one feature of my invention as applied to a board for two players; Fig. 2, a similar view illustrating that feature as applied to a board for three players; Fig. 3, a bottom View of one end of the block for the smaller-sized board,with one of the rests removed; Fig. 4, an under side view of one end of the plate detached; Fig. 5, an edge view of the plate detached, and Fig. 6 a cross-section on the line @om in Fig. l, Figs. 1, 2, and 3 being half size, and Figs. 4, 5,'and 6 being full size. Fig. 7 represents the old style of pin, and Fig. S the style of pin I preferably use with my improved board.

Similar letters indicate like parts in all the figures.

A indicates the block; B, the plate, around the edge of which is a raised bead; C and D, the pin-holes. E represents a series of raised circular beads which surround certain of the pin-holes, and F represents raised angular bosses which surround certain others of the pin-holes.

The object of this arrangement is twofold: First, it causes the board to present a very neat and tasty appearancafand, secondly and principally, it distinguishes the set of holes which belongs to each individual player, the gist of the inventionlying in the use of distinguishing-marks rather than in the marks themselves.

In a board for two players the holes upon one side of the board are surrounded -by circular beads, and those upon the other side by angular bosses. The game-holes at the center are also made to correspond with those at the sides ofthe board, half being surrounded by circular beads, and the other half by angular bosses, all of which is clearly illustrated in Fig. l. In a board for three players there are three double rows of holes longitudinally of the board, and three corresponding rows of gameholes across one end of the board, my im provement as applied to this style ot' board consisting in using one style of holes for the central row both ways of the board, and another style for the twov side rows, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, in which I have represented the central double row of holes running longitudinally of the board, and the corresponding row across the end of the board as surrounded by raised angular bosses, and the side rows of holes,both longitudinally and transversely, as surrounded by raised circular beads.

It will of course be understood that I do not limit myself to arranging the raised angular bosses in the form of squares. They may,if preferred, be arranged in diamond shape, as indicated by the end game-holes in Fig. l; or any other angular form may be adopted. The holes themselves maybe either straight at the sides or they may be undercut-th at is, beveled from the top downward and outward, as indicated in Fig. 6-the latter form being deemed preferable on account of the ease with which plates of this style may be lifted from the molds, there being no danger of displacing the cores which form the holes.

The block A is provided with a recess, in which the plate is countersunk, the face of the plate being preferably left flush with the surface of the block, as indicated in Fig. 6. In attaching the plate to the block I wholly do away with screws,which leaves a much neaterlooking plate, and is also a saving in metal, as the plate can be made considerably smaller when no allowance has to be made for screwholes outside of the game-holes. I secure the plate to the block by means of spurs II upon the under side of the plate, which are forced into and engage the wood of the block. At the base of these spurs are bosses I,which rest upon the surface of the recess, so that an open IOC) space, G,is left between the plate and the block. rlhe obj eet of this open space is to prevent the holes from becoming stopped up by dust and to assist in clearing them out.

In the body of the block I make a series of holes, K, which register with those in the plate. In practice the pins pass through the holes D in the plate and into holes K in the bloek,by which they are steadied. By providing holes in the block I am enabled to make the plate thinner than would otherwise be required,tl1us effecting another saving in metal, and also to dispense with the shoulder at the lower ends of the pins,which has heretofore been considered an essential and valuable feature of construction. In connection with my present board I use asmallersized wire for the pins and leave them perfectly straight, no turning` down whatever of the ends being required. (See Figs. 7 and 8.) A ballor other ornamental head is preferably placed upon one end of the pin, and they are usually plated, the saine as the old style of pins. In the under side of the block, at suitable distances apart, I bore holes L, into which blocks, M, of rubber are forced. rlhcse blocks of rubber serve as rests for the wooden block, and,in addition to rendering it perfectly noiseless when moved about,prevent it from scratching the finest polished tables.

It will of course be understood that I do not limit myself to the exact construction shown, as" it is obvious that the details may be varied within reasonable limits without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim-a l. A Cribbage-board having a set of counting holes provided with a distinguishingmark consisting of raised angular bosses surrounding them, and another set or sets ofholes having a distinguishing-mark consisting of raised circular beads, whereby the holes belonging to one player 'are distinguished from those belonging to other players.

2. A Cribbage-board having a set of counting and a set of game holes provided with a distinguishing-mark consist-ing of raised angular bosses surrounding them, and another set or sets of counting and gaine holes having distinguishing-marks consisting of raised circular beads, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a Cribbage-board, the combination, with a block having a recess, of a plate having pinholes,which is adapted to fit in said recess, and is provided upon its underside with spurs which are adapted to be driven into the block, whereby the plate is heldin place without the use of screws.

4. The combination,with the recessed block, of a plate having pin-holes, and provided on its under side with spurs which are adapted to be driven into the wood to hold the plate in position, and bosses Vwhich rest upon the surface within the recess, whereby an open space is left between the plate and the block.

5. The plate having undercut pinholes, spurs, and bosses, as shown, in combination with a block having a recess within which the plate fits, and pin-holes which register with those in the plate.

6. The block having holes upon its under side,into which blocks,l\l,of rubber are turned for rests, and upon its upper side a recess and holes K, in combination with the plate having pin-holes, spurs which engage the block, and bosses upon which the plate rests, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my si gnature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES NV. LE COUNT.

Witnesses:

GEORGE G. SrrLLsoN, GEORGE F. Bnansn. 

